race procedures

Race Procedures

If at all possible,pick up your race number early at the NYRR RUNCENTER. You may see any New York Road Runners staff member (no need to line up alphabetically anymore). If you wish, you may send a friend to pick up your number either with your QR code (this is the faster option) or using your full name and birth date. Following these steps will save you time on race day and ensure that you receive your tech T-shirt before you run. If you pick up your race number in advance, please arrive at the race at least 30 minutes before the start.

If you must pick up your number on race day, please arrive 45 to 60 minutes before the start.

Refer your event's race page for more information. If you have any questions, visit help.nyrr.org.

Race Number Pickup

Pre-race Pickup

For weekly races, pickup starts on the Sunday before race day. You’ll receive your race confirmation email the day before the start of pickup.

**We strongly recommend you pick up your race number early at the NYRR RUNCENTER. You'll save time on race day and ensure you receive your T-shirt before you run. If you pick up your race number in advance of race day, please arrive on site at the race at least 30 to 45 minutes before the race start, so you have time to check your bag or leave it with a friend or family member, use the toilets if needed, and get in your start corral at least 10 minutes before the start.**

The hours of operation for race pickup are Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m, Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Runners can pick up their race materials any time within the hours of operation in the week preceding their race. Race numbers are no longer pre-assigned. Your race number will be assigned on demand when you pick up your race number.

When you pick up your materials, an NYRR runner services representative will place a sticker with your lettered corral assignment on your bib. Participants in walk events and youth events, as well as wheelchair and handcycle athletes, receive a special sticker.

Race-day Pickup

If you are not able to pick up your number at the NYRR RUNCENTER in advance of race day, you may pick it up at the race location on race morning; check each race page for location and hours. Please arrive at least 45 to 60 minutes prior to the start of the race to pick up your race materials; this way you'll avoid long lines and have time to check your bag or leave it with a friend or family member, use the toilets if needed, and get in your start corral at least 10 minutes before the start.

Why the changes?
Assigning bibs on site at race pickup, rather than pre-assigning them, expedites the pickup process: Runners can now go to any available staff member for pickup. Your unique QR code is permanently linked to your My NYRR account; this streamlines the race pickup process.

QR Codes

You have a unique QR code associated with your My NYRR account, which you should use to pick up materials for NYRR races. At pickup, an NYRR runner services representative will scan your code to associate your My NYRR account with your race number.

You can print the QR code or show it on your mobile device.

If you have children associated with your My NYRR account, their unique QR codes are available to you in your account.

Corral Assignments and Bag Check

Your corral assignment is based on your best pace as calculated by NYRR, and each corral has a minimum best pace, called a pace cut. The pace cuts are listed in the chart below, and an explanation of how pace cuts are calculated is here.

Your removable bag check tag corresponds to your race number; it does not reflect your corral assignment. The new corral assignment system reduces congestion in the bag-check area because the flow of runners through bag pickup will be more evenly distributed.

Staggered Starts

Many of our races will feature staggered starts, which we’re implementing to improve the flow of runners on the course.

The corrals will be released at regular intervals, with corral A leaving at the first starting horn, followed by an additional starting horn for each subsequent start. Runners' race net times will still be recorded from when they cross the start and finish mats. This change is based on runner feedback and will ensure a more enjoyable race for everyone.

Pace Cuts

Pace cuts create space in corrals and provide transparency on corral assignments. These changes, made to help you in response to your feedback, make your race experience more efficient. They are in line with best practices followed at races around the country.

Corral Letter

First Time

Last Time

AA

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5:04-men/6:19-women

A

5:05

6:29

B

6:30

7:04

C

7:05

7:34

D

7:35

7:54

E

7:55

8:14

F

8:15

8:34

G

8:35

8:57

H

8:58

9:19

I

9:20

9:49

J

9:50

10:14

K

10:15

11:29

L

11:30

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Race Numbers

Your race number starts with a letter. The letter, not the race-number color or the number itself, indicates your corral. See new race number.

Your race number includes a medical tag, which will be used in the event of an emergency. Note: Please continue to fill out the important medical information on the back of your number.

Why the changes?
At the 2014 TCS New York City Marathon, a letter system made corrals easier to locate.

The medical tag is an extra safety precaution designed to protect runners.

Bag Check

Your race number includes a bag-check tag that you'll remove and pin to the clear bag provided for bag check. Bags are sorted by race number.

Why the change?
The adhesive stickers we used for bag check in the past tended to fall off in cold or wet weather.

Best Pace

We use a new formula—one that's used at many other races across the country—to predict your pace and make your corral assignment. The formula converts race paces to a 10K race pace. If you haven't finished a race in the last 12 months, we use your most recent race in the past two years. If you haven't finished a race in that time period, you'll input your expected pace.

Please note that your pace is based on your single best pace (converted to a 10K; see chart), not an average of your race paces over the 12-month period.

Why the change?
Responding to runner feedback, we are using a formula that more accurately predicts finish times and thus ensures that runners line up in the proper corral. This makes races more enjoyable for everyone. Read more about best-pace calculation and corral updates.

New York Road Runners serves nearly 600,000 runners of all ages and abilities annually through hundreds of races, community open runs, walks, training sessions, and other running-related programming, with 267,000 youth participating in free fitness programs and events nationally, including 134,000 in New York City’s five boroughs.